Winning smile as labour holds on

READING bucked the national trend by giving a huge vote of confidence in its ruling Labour group.

Despite the party suffering losses across the country, Labour held its tight grip on power in Reading in Thursday's council election.

The Conservatives failed to take a single seat from Labour, although they did become the largest

opposition party by picking up the new Mapledurham ward and taking a Peppard seat from the Lib Dems.

The town's red corner held on to all its 35 spots on the council, despite seeing its vote squeezed in a handful of wards.

Council leader David Sutton said the party fought off doubt over the Government by focusing the campaign on "Reading, Reading and Reading".

He added: "It's a remarkable result and a sign the people of Reading feel good about what we are doing in the borough."

Tory supporters remained upbeat, although their increased vote in the area failed to translate into council seats.

The Lib Dems slipped to third place on the council and now have only five representatives to the Tories' six.

Afterwards a deflated Bob Green, the Lib Dem leader, admitted he was bewildered as to what opposition parties had to do to break through.

He said: "I find it unbelievable that the sheer loathing of the Labour Government on the streets of Reading doesn't seem to affect the council."

In the weeks leading up to election day, national political commentators predicted Labour would suffer heavy losses in the town.

And Mr Sutton, confessed it had been a "difficult

election to predict", but said focusing on local issues had helped.

The Katesgrove councillor last week told a campaign committee the local party could expect to poll anything between "24 to 36 seats".

He added: "I think we all saw what was happening elsewhere in the country and there were a few nervous people coming into the count.

"We knew there would be an element of Iraq, but

stressed the campaign would be about Reading, Reading, Reading."

The two Tory gains were in the new ward Mapledurham which leader Fred Pugh took and Mark Ralph picked off the Lib Dems in Peppard.

The Tories were also close to making a breakthrough in Kentwood, where Tom Steele failed to land a seat from Labour by five votes.

They also pushed Labour hard in Minster and Caversham, but despite rigorous campaigns the make-up of seats stayed the same.

Mr Pugh said: "There is no denying it Labour has got some talented individuals. We fielded a number of strong candidates, but we went for young candidates and they possibly need a little more experience."

Mr Pugh pointed to the increasing "popular vote" behind the Tories and thinks it bodes well for a General Election next year.

He added: "We are building a firmer foundation, not as much as I would have hoped, but there is another building block there."

The overall turnout across the town was 35.46 per cent, although it peaked in Mapledurham with 54 per cent of voters showing up.

A tense count in Wokingham saw the ruling Tories increase their overall majority, gaining six new seats on the council and the Lib Dems losing five.